Faults:
Dual carburetor setup is a constant source of headache trying to balance. The rat's nest of vacuum hoses attached to these carburetors are always coming loose or leaking. These problems cause a wide variety of poor performance.
Valves won't stay adjusted in the engine.
Myself servicing it, and several mechanics have not been able to figure out why the battery kept going dead at random times. Alternators, voltage regulators, and many other electrical parts replaced in attempt to solve the problem.
Car kept overheating, and this problem eventually made it meet it's demise. Another hard to diagnose problem that resulted in many parts replaced without solving the problem.
Air conditioning compressor self-destructed, and took out the power steering pump with it.
Had to replace the brakes on all 4 wheels to the tune of $900.
General Comments:
This car has really tight handling, and is really fun to drive when it ran, but I think I would have more luck with an MG or other British sports car. At least one of those have predictable problems, and the parts don't cost a fortune. This car frequently broke weird, hard to find parts that were very expensive!
This car would be perfect with a small V6, and rear-wheel drive. It just needs a little more torque. The rear-wheel drive would help the weight balance. I can't complain about the handling too bad though, it stuck to the road like it was glued!
The interior is very comfortable. The seats really hold you in place. Tall people like myself have plenty of room to spread out. The back seat though is terribly small, and suitable only for a small child.
Honda really dropped the ball though on general fit and finish. I have not seen the Honda reliability image that everyone seems to talk about in this car. Anybody riding in this car can just tell from the way the lights brighten and dim with engine speed, the clattering of the valves, and many other things that this car was a problem child. I saw many design shortfalls that looks like the engineers were laying down on the job when this car was being created
22nd Jun 2002, 05:51
I don't see how you could even think of buying any car for $600 and not expect any problems like the ones you are having. Go out and get yourself a 2001 prelude and add a cold air intake, Arospeed Carbon Fiber Muffler - 4" Straight Cut Tip, Greddy headers, and Wings West body kit avenger style, you'll completely change your mind about prelude's. The one thing that puzzles me about many people is that they always complain about the space in the back of the prelude. First off I'd like to say it's not supposed to be a Lincoln Navigator fit to hold 5000 people, and secondly if you think the cars small why would you buy it in the first place.
Peace out.